معرفی
Jenny C. Aker is a Research Professor of Development Economics at The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy and the Department of Economics at Tufts University. She also serves as Co-Director of the Center for International Environmental and Resource Policy (CIERP) and Director of the Fletcher Leadership Program for Financial Inclusion (FLPFI). Her research focuses on economic development in Africa, particularly the impact of information and technology on agriculture, education, and financial inclusion.
Education:
- PhD in Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Berkeley (2008)
- MS in Agricultural and Resource Economics, University of California, Berkeley (2005)
- MALD (Master of Arts in Law and Diplomacy), The Fletcher School, Tufts University (1997)
- AB, Duke University (1993)
Research Interests: A central theme of Aker’s work is understanding how information and technology can address challenges in agriculture, education, and financial systems. She has conducted fieldwork across West Africa, including studies on mobile phone adoption by farmers, the impact of cash transfers in humanitarian contexts, and the role of technology in adult education. Recent work explores storage technologies for agricultural resilience and the efficacy of digital financial tools in rural markets.
Grants & Collaborations: Aker has led or contributed to projects funded by organizations such as the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, USAID, and the World Bank. Key initiatives include evaluations of storage technologies in Niger, mobile money systems in Africa, and teacher oversight programs using technology.
Labs & Teams: She co-chairs the DigiFI Initiative at J-PAL and collaborates with global institutions like the Center for Global Development. Her work often involves interdisciplinary teams addressing real-world policy challenges.
